Strengthening management and protection of special-use forests

Officers and officials of the Special-use Forest Management Board patrol to protect the forest - Photo: LA

Established on the basis of reorganizing the Dakrong Nature Reserve Management Board and the Bac Huong Hoa Nature Reserve Management Board, the Special-use Forest Management Board is currently assigned to manage and protect over 66,160 hectares including 3 nature reserves located in 12 buffer zone communes of Huong Hoa and Dakrong districts.

Of which, Bac Huong Hoa Nature Reserve has a total area of ​​over 23,450 hectares, Dakrong Nature Reserve has an area of ​​nearly 37,470 hectares and Ho Chi Minh Road Landscape Protection Area has an area of ​​over 5,230 hectares. Most of the managed and protected forest area is steep and deeply fragmented. In addition, the population in this area is mainly ethnic minorities with the habit of living, agricultural production, growing on sloping land in the form of crop rotation and grazing livestock, so forest protection is difficult.

In this situation, in order to effectively manage and protect the assigned forest area, the Special-use Forest Management Board has recently proactively coordinated with forest rangers, border guards, and local authorities to organize propaganda on forest protection and biodiversity conservation to people living in the buffer zones of the reserves in many forms. Regularly coordinating with local forest rangers and forest protection posts to patrol and inspect the forest to prevent encroachment on forest resources in the managed forest area.

Director of the Special-use Forest Management Board Truong Quang Trung informed that despite many difficulties due to limited resources and large management areas, the unit's officers and employees have made efforts to complete their assigned tasks well.

Specifically, since the beginning of the year, the unit has coordinated with the forest rangers of 2 conservation areas and the forest protection contract force to organize over 365 forest protection patrols with more than 1,400 participants; established and organized forces on duty at 31 checkpoints in key areas to check and prevent people from entering and leaving the forest illegally. The results have been the dismantling of 28 traps for wild animals, the destruction of 1 illegally set-up camp, and the expulsion of 10 subjects who entered the forest illegally.

Closely coordinate with the Management Board of Dong Chau Nature Reserve and A Luoi Forest Protection Department to patrol and protect forests in the border areas with Quang Binh province and Hue city. Develop plans for forest fire prevention and fighting, prepare adequate firefighting equipment and means, and arrange forces to regularly inspect forests according to plan.

In March 2025, the unit coordinated with the forest rangers to promptly mobilize forces to participate in fire fighting in sub-areas 613, 617, 617A, Huong Lap commune, Huong Hoa district. Currently, the unit is coordinating with the authorities to protect the scene and investigate and handle the case according to regulations.

In addition, from the sources of funding for forest protection such as: Sustainable Forestry Development Program, Resolution 33/2023/NQ-HDND, payment for forest environmental services and revenue from the agreement on payment for greenhouse gas reduction in the North Central region (ERPA), more than 40,900 hectares of forest have been allocated to households in buffer zone communes to increase income and create jobs locally.

Livelihood support for 35 communities with activities based on actual needs such as: purchasing assets for village communities; installing village lighting; drilling clean water wells; building concrete roads, supporting breeding cows... with a total cost of about 1.75 billion VND. Thereby creating motivation to attract people to actively participate in forestry activities, contributing to protecting the existing forest area; developing and improving the area and quality of forests.

Regarding forest development, in 2024, the unit planted 68.84 hectares of new special-use forests; protected and promoted natural regeneration of 32 hectares and protected and promoted regeneration with additional planting of 36.6 hectares of natural forests. Planted and cared for replacement forests when changing forest use purposes with an area of ​​nearly 442 hectares.

In coordination with the VFBC Project Management Board, WWF installed 229 camera traps to monitor wild animals in protected areas; in coordination with the Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center conducted a field survey on the taxonomic diversity and ecology of tropical mushroom forests in Vietnam. In coordination with the USAID project, a survey of saola was conducted by installing 105 camera traps and collecting water and leech samples at the Bac Huong Hoa Nature Reserve for eDNA analysis, searching for signs of saola.

Coordinate with organizations such as the Center for Research on Upland Resource Management (CEGORN) to conduct a project to investigate and assess the status, distribution and capacity building of the red-shanked douc langur; the North Central Forestry Science Center to conduct a project to research the exploitation and development of the reed mahogany tree; the Center for Nature Conservation and Development to conduct a pre-feasibility assessment of a pilot forest planting project to create carbon credits.

According to Mr. Trung, currently entering the peak period of the dry season, along with organizing the good implementation of forestry development policies, promoting propaganda and mobilizing people to comply with regulations on forest management and protection, the Special-use Forest Management Board continues to closely coordinate with local authorities and functional forces in the fight against violations of forestry laws.

Maintain checkpoints at key and sensitive locations for timber exploitation, forest fire prevention and control, and forest encroachment; arrange additional forest protection checkpoints deeper into the sub-areas to monitor the situation, patrol, and track down violators. Strengthen patrols and inspections of the sub-areas, especially in areas where forest encroachment, deforestation, illegal exploitation of forest products, and illegal trapping of wild animals often occur, and prevent "hot spots" from occurring in the area.

Continue to implement forest fire prevention and fighting measures, especially in areas at high risk of forest fires, regularly monitor forecasts and warnings of forest fire risks, and prepare effective forest fire prevention and fighting solutions to minimize damage caused by forest fires.

Implement the plan to handle the situation of overlapping and encroachment of forests and forestry land within the unit's boundaries; strictly manage the area of ​​forest that has been encroached upon, encroached upon, and overlapped to prevent further encroachment; promptly detect and strictly handle cases of deforestation and encroachment of forest land for farming. Continue to plant, care for, and protect the planted forest areas that have been invested in. Complete the project of eco-tourism, resort, and entertainment in Bac Huong Hoa Nature Reserve.

Le An

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/tang-cuong-quan-ly-bao-ve-rung-dac-dung-193846.htm